Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada clarified student work rules in October 2026 after reports of work permit rejections affecting Indian students. The agency did not say the reported refusals resulted from students exceeding permitted hours.
The 24-Hour Work Limit allows eligible international students to work off campus up to 24 hours per week while classes are in session. Working beyond the permitted amount can breach study permit conditions and lead to immigration consequences.
“Working more than you are allowed is a violation of your study permit conditions, which can have serious consequences,” IRCC said. The agency warned that unauthorized work can include refusal of future permits or removal from Canada.
Portage College in Calgary had already asked Indian students protesting rejected work visas to seek legal advice. The college said it was still seeking clarification; it scheduled a meeting with student representatives.
The limit took effect on November 15, 2024, as part of new International Student Program regulations. Marc Miller, then immigration minister, said the 24-hour cap was intended to balance work opportunities with students’ focus on education.
“By fixing the off-campus work limit to 24 hours per week, we're striking the right balance between providing work opportunities and helping students stay focused on their education.”
The cap changes during qualifying school breaks
Students with multiple jobs must add together their off-campus hours during academic terms. The weekly ceiling applies across all those jobs.
| Situation | Off-campus work allowed | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Classes in session | Up to 24 hours per week | Count hours across all jobs |
| Scheduled school break | Full-time hours | Break must meet IRCC requirements; annual total capped at 180 days |
A qualifying break must appear on the school’s published academic calendar. Students must be enrolled in the term immediately before and immediately after it.
Winter break, reading week or spring break can qualify. A summer period can count if the student is enrolled in the spring and fall terms around it. Breaks must last at least seven days; statutory holidays alone do not qualify.
Time off taken during a term is not a scheduled break. Nor are periods between programs, or breaks where the student is not enrolled in the terms on both sides.
Permits and programs must meet the work eligibility tests
Students need a valid study permit that authorizes off-campus work, plus a Social Insurance Number. They cannot start working before their studies begin.
Most must study full time at a designated learning institution. A student in the final semester may study part time if that is only because they have completed the other required courses.
The qualifying program must be at least six months long and lead to a degree, diploma or certificate. It must be post-secondary academic, vocational or professional training; qualifying secondary-level vocational study in Quebec also counts.
The permit must include an employment condition. IRCC lists two relevant forms of wording:
“(a) May work 24 hrs. Per week off campus, or full time during regular breaks, if meeting criteria outlined in section 186(v) of IRPR.”
“(b) May accept employment on or off campus if meeting eligibility criteria as per R186(f), (v) or (w). Must cease working if no longer meeting these criteria.”
Students whose permits lack a work condition must ask IRCC to amend them, at no cost, before applying for a Social Insurance Number.
Some students cannot work off campus under these rules. That includes students in English as a Second Language or French as a Second Language programs, general-interest or self-improvement courses, and preparatory or pathway programs taken before another program starts. Foreign-institution exchange students at a Canadian school are also excluded, as are part-time students outside the final-semester exception.
Portage College asked protesters to retain application records
The college advised students to preserve documents for any future application, reconsideration request or other process pursued with an authorized immigration professional. Its list included study permits, letters of acceptance, enrolment records, program-completion documents and transcripts.
Students should also retain PGWP applications, IRCC refusal letters and officer notes, if available, plus correspondence with IRCC or an authorized representative. The college said its scheduled meeting would let it continue the discussion and answer questions where it could.
Required placements follow a separate rule from ordinary jobs
Since April 1, 2026, eligible post-secondary students have not needed a separate co-op work permit for mandatory placements in their programs. Qualifying placements can include co-ops, internships, practicums and mentorship programs.
The placement cannot take up more than 50% of the overall program. Unlike regular off-campus work, a required placement has no weekly hour limit, though students must continue to meet their permit requirements.
Some students may still hold valid co-op permits issued before the change. Those permits authorize only work required for the program, and employers must confirm that the placement qualifies.
Employers and schools must check authorization and enrolment
Employers must ensure international students are authorized to work and stay within the permitted hours. They should confirm the student remains enrolled full time and check the work conditions on the permit. Students who have completed their studies or are part time generally cannot rely on their study permit to work off campus unless they meet an applicable exception.
Schools also have reporting duties. Designated learning institutions are expected to report to IRCC twice a year on whether their study permit holders remain enrolled. The agency can investigate students who are no longer enrolled; schools that fail to report or verify acceptance letters can lose the ability to welcome new international students for up to a year. Quebec institutions received a grace period before joining the reporting system.
IDP Education says freelancing and self-employment are generally not permitted under the student rules. Remote work for an employer outside Canada is allowed, and those hours do not count toward the weekly off-campus total.
Students changing institutions must secure approval for a new study permit before beginning at the new school. IRCC’s April 23, 2025, program update reflected the increase from 20 to 24 hours and removed a temporary policy that had allowed more than 20.
Portage College said it would keep students informed as it sought answers. “Portage College continues to seek clarification regarding this issue and remains committed to providing factual information and keeping students informed as new information becomes available.”
